Machine for bending scythe-snaths.



No. 695,295. Patented Mar. II, I902.

G. M. FENN.

MACHINE FDR SENDING SCYTHE SNATHS.

l Application filed Nov. 27. 1901.) (Nb Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

W?! asses ff 2 by I'M: N'owms PETERS co. moTq-LITNQ. vosmnc-rau o c Patented Mar. II, I902.

mm. mm. MACHINE FOR SENDING SCYTHE SNATHS.

(Application filed. Nov. 27, 1801.)

2 Sheets-sheaf! 2.

(No Model.)

lhvrtno Smarns PATENT rrrcE.

GEORGE M. FENN, OF CHARLOTTE, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR B ENDING SCYTHE-SNATHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,295, dated March 11, 1902.

Application filed November 27, 1901. Serial No. 88,924. (No model.)

To all whom it pug/concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. FENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county of Eaton and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Machine forBending Soythe-Snaths, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for bendiug scythe-snaths.

The object of the invention is to present a simply-constructed, highly-efficient, readilyoperable, and durable form of machine for the purpose stated which will rapidly and uniformly give to the snath-blank the several bends of the finished snath.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a soythe-snath-bending machine, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated a form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the scope of the invention, and in these drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a viewin plan, the rear portion of the machine being omitted. Fig. 3 is a View in longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon, a portion of the snath-frame being omitted. Fig. i is a view in transverse section taken on the line at at and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon.

The machine of this invention embodies mechanism for imparting the horizontal or belly bend to the snath, the upturned bend to the tap, and the downturned bend to the butt, together with means for holding the tap in positive engagement with its former, but to permit the tap to have endwise movement as the belly is beingformed, and means for positively clamping or holding the butt against endwise movement while the belly is being formed. The several mechanisms herein displayed for accomplishing these results are exhibitive of one form of embodiment of the invention for carrying out the procedure designed, and asit will be obvious that the various steps pursued in producing the finished product may be otherwise accomplished it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise aggroupment of mechanical elementsherein illustrated and described. The possible modifications in the operative mechanisms above noted refer more generally to the power-transmitting devices employed. Thus where certain of the parts of the apparatus are operated by hand and others by mechanical power,each thro ugh the agency of screws, it will be obvious that compressive force may be obtained from other sourcesas from toggle-levers, hydraulic power,steam, or com pressed airand still be within the scope of the invention, and it is therefore to be borne in mind thatwhile screw-power alone is herein shown forexertingcompressive force that the right is reserved to employ any of the powers above referred to if found necessary or desirable.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the base or bed of the machine, the same being supported upon suitable legs 2 and an upright 2, the upright being extended above the base i and in parallel relation with a similar upright 3, and to the upper ends of these uprights is secured a cross-beam 4:, which is continued beyond the point shown in Fig. 1, and is associated with other uprights, (not necessary to be shown,) thereby presenting arigid supporting-frameforthemachine. Journaledinsuitable hearings in the uprights 2 and 3 is a shaft 5, carrying two loose pulleys 6 and 7, the pulley 6 being operated from a cross-belt 8 and the pulley '7 from a straight belt 9, the belts being driven from any suitable source of power. (Not necessary to be shown.) The inner face of each pulley is provided with a clutch member 10 to be engaged alternately by a sliding clutch 11, spliced on the shaft, a lever 12 being provided for shifting the clutch into and out of engagement with the clutch members of the pulleys, thus to reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft 5. The lever 12 may be operated by hand; but as a matter of specific improvement and to insure proper bending of the snaths and uni+ formity of the output provision is madeby which the lever will be automaticallyshifted at the proper time. The means employed for this purpose in the present instance consists of two abutments 13, carried by the upper extremities of a plunger 14, the disposition of the abutments being such that when the plunger has moved the requisite distance to impart the desired belly bend to the snath the lever will be shifted automatically, thus to throw the clutch 11 out of engagement with the clutch member of the pulley 10 and leave the plunger locked in engagement with the snath-blank until the clutch shall have been thrown into engagement with the clutch memberlO, whereupon the plunger is moved out of engagement with the snath-blank. Where hydraulic or other power is used for operating the plunger, this or an equivalent form of shifting mechanism may be employed for cutting off or on the power employed.

Secured to the upper side of the base are two horizontally-disposed guides 15, between which the plunger works, the outer or forward end of the plunger being rounded to conform to the contour of the belly of the snath when bent, and the plunger is providedwith a threaded orifice 16, extending practically throughout its entire length, which is engaged by a screw 17, journaled in bearings in the upright 2 and carrying on opposite sides thereof collars or stops 18, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer end of the screw or that projecting beyond the standard has keyed or otherwise secured to it a gear-wheel 19, which meshes with a pinion 20, carried by a shaft 21, journaled in suitable bearings in the two uprights, the shaft carrying a pulley 22, around which passes a belt 23 to and around a pulley 24 on the shaft 5. By this arrangement it will be seen that when the clutch locks the pulley 7 on the shaft forward movement will be imparted to the plunger 14:, the reverse movement taking place when the pulley 6 is locked on the shaft.

The base carries at each end and at the front thereof a former or abutment 25 and 26, respectively, the former 25 being located at the Tap end and the former 26 at the butt-end of the snath-blanks, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is to be understood, of course, that the snath-blanks are to have associated with them a suitable frame, which by being securely looked around the blanks when bent to the proper contour hold them in their bent shape until dried. This frame may be of any pref erred construction-as, for instance, a structure of the character shown in Letters Patent granted to me for a frame for bending scythesnaths, dated November 19, 1901, and numbered (387,144. Generally stated, the frame 7 comprises three rigid forms A, B, and O,

whereof the forms A and B are counterparts of each other and engage, respectively, with the butt and tap portions of the snath-blank and the form C witli the centeror belly portion thereof, the latter form being reversely curved to the forms A and B for this purpose.

Coacting with the forms is a flexible jacket comprising three plates D, E, and F, each the counterpart of the other, the plate F being associated with the plates D and E by links G. The manner of associating the links with the plates is shown as being effected by providing the two ends of the plate F and one end of each of the plates D and E with a loop or eye H. Secured to the outer end of each of the plates D and E is an abutment I, each having an outcurved end J, designed to pass through a transverse opening in the outer end of each of the forms A and B and to engage with the form adjacent to the opening, thereby to hold the forms against separation from the abutments and to present fulcrums for the said forms, the abutments further serving the important function of end hearings to receive the end thrust on the convex side of the snath-blank, whereby stretching of the fibers thereof on the outside of the bend is prevented and compression of the fibers on the inside of the bend is effected. The inner end of each of the forms A and B is provided with a plurality of transversely-arrauged serrations or teeth K, and both ends of the form C are similarly provided with teeth L, the teeth on the two sets of forms being oppositely disposed and are engagedwhen the snath-blank has been bent to shape by clamps M, which interlock with the two series of teeth, the clamps being of a size to straddle or inclose the links G.

The means for holding the tap'and butt por-' tions of the frame in engagement with their respective formers comprises two frames 27 and 28, suitably mounted for pivotal move-' against the formers. The lever carries a down- Wardly-extend'ing braced arm 32, the lower end of which is turned at right angles to its length and constitutes a bearing for one end of a roller 33, disposed parallel with the face of the former 25, the upper end of the roller being journaled in the lever 29. When the tap end of the snath-frame is in engagement IIO with the former and the frame is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the said end is forced against the former by the roller 33 and held there; but as the plunger is moved forward to give the belly bend'to the snath the tap end of the'snath-frame is allowed to move longitudinally between the former and the roller to permit formation of the said bend.

The mechanism for imparting the upward bend to the taps comprises in this instancea shoe 34., upon which the taps rest, and coacting with the underside of the shoe is a screw 35, projecting through one of the frame members 36, as shown in Fig. 4. Upon the screw is mounted a beveled gear 37, which is e11- gaged by a pinion 38, carried by a crankshaft 39, also journaled in the frame member 36, the crank 40 being so disposed with relation to the frame as to be readily operable from the side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby to raise or lower the shoe, as desired.

The butt-end of the snath-frame is held in engagement with the formers 26 by the frame 28, as before stated, and this frame is a rectangular structure held associated with the base of the machine for swinging movement with relation thereto by a bolt- 41, (clearly shown in Fig. 1,) the frame being of greater width than the former, to present a space 42 between the latter and one side of the frame into which the butt-end of the snath-frame is forced by a screw 43, carried by the frame and provided at its top with a cross-bar 44 and at its lower end with a shoe 45 to bear upon the butts of the snath-blanks, thereby to impart the requisite downward curve thereto, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. As before stated, both of the frames 27 and 28 are mounted for pivotal movement to permit their being moved out of the way when the snath-frame bearing the snath-blanks is to be placed against the former. It will be obvious that by the provision of an abutment on the base at the tap end of the snath, whereby these-will be held elevated, that a screw may be combined with the frame 27 and provided at its lower end with a shoe to bear upon the upper portions of the tap ends of the snathblanks, so that by downward movement of both screws the end bends can be given to the blanks.

As a means for forcing the snath-blanks firmly within the snath-frame a lever 46 may be employed, having an extension 47 extending to the floor, and by applying footpressure to the extension 47 the lever 46 will be forced against the butt-ends of the snathblanks, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3.

From the foregoing description the operation of the machine will be apparent. The snath-blanks having been steamed or otherwise treated to render them flexible are placed in the snath-frame, the latter being positioned upon the base of the frame and between the formers, and by the assistance of the lever 46 are firmly seated therein. The frame 27, having been turned down to the position shown in Fig. t to hold the tap end of the snath-blank against the former 25, the frame 28 is brought to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby holding the butt-end of the snath frame against the former 28, after which the screw 43 is turned down to clamp the butts in position against longitudinal move ment. Thelever 12 is then operated by hand to throw the clutch 11 into engagement with the clutch member of the pulley 7, whereupon the screw 17 will be turned in the direction to forcethe plunger against the snath-frame and give the horizontal belly bend thereto, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and when the bend is finished the abutment 13 at the rear end of the plunger will contact with the lever, and thus throw the clutch out of engagement with the clutch member of the pulley 7, thusleavingtheplungerinlockedengagement with the snath-frame. The crank 40 is now operated to turn the screw 35 and force the taps upward in a curve, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the screw 43 is also operated to force the butts downward in a curve, as also indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby giving all the desired curves to the blanks, the blanks being positively held against movement in the snath-frame when the end curves are being imparted thereto and by the pressure exerted thereon by the plunger and the coaction therewith of the snath-frame.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that although the machine of this invention is exceedingly simple of construction it will in a rapid and practical manner effect the bending in a uniform manner of snathblanks.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine for bending scythe-snaths, comprising end formers spaced apart and arranged to engage the end portions on one side of the snath-blanks, an intermediate former arranged to engage that portion on the other side of the blanks opposite the space between the said formers, means to advance said intermediate former to bend the blanks in one plane and hold them while so bent, and means operating at right angles to the direction of such bend to impart upward and downward bends to the blanks while so held.

2. In a machine for bending scythe-snaths, a base,a belly-forming plunger movable transversely thereof, means for holding the snathblank in operative position with suitable formers, and means for automatically checking the movement of the plunger when the desired horizontal bend has been imparted to the blank.

3. In a machine for bending scythe-snaths, the combination of a base carrying formers disposed at each end thereof and to be engaged by the outer end portions of a snathblank, means for holding the blank against the formers, and a plunger for forcing the blank against the formers and at the same time to impart the desired belly bend to the blank.

4. In a machine for bending scythe-snaths, the combination of a base, formers mounted on each end thereof, frames for holding the terminals of a snath-blank against the formers, clamping means carried by one of the In testimony that I claim the foregoing as frames forpreventinglongitudinal movement my own I have hereto affixed my signature in of the butt, a roller carried by the other frame the presence of two Witnesses.

to permit longitudinal movement of the tap GEORGE M. FENN. 5 as the belly is being formed, and means 00- Witnesses:

acting with the latter frame to impart the de- CHAS. L. CARR,

sired curves to the tap and butt. L. J. NIXON. 

